Reuters – Biel Crystal Manufactory Ltd , a Hong Kong-based company that makes displays for Apple Inc., has accused the company of violating the rights of its workers, according to a group that defends the rights of Chinese workers ( SACOM )
The group's complaint states the company's employees work 11-hour shifts, seven days a week, with one day off each month.
Workers are also often injured without being given fair compensation and are forced to sign blank contracts for it, the report says. At least five company employees have committed suicide since 2011.
There was no immediate comment from Biel Crystal, but Kitty Potter, an Apple spokeswoman for the Greater China region, said the US company “is looking into such cases.”
“We insist that our suppliers provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, and use environmentally responsible manufacturing processes for Apple products,” Apple said in a statement to Reuters in response to the SACOM report.
Biel Crystal employs more than 60,000 people, according to the company's website, and has two factories, one in Guangdong and the other in Shenzhen. It was not immediately clear how long Biel has been an Apple supplier.
